Draft rigging with elongated coupler yoke



I United States Patent 1 3,539,054

[72] Inventor William M. Keller 1.660. 39 2/1928 Anderson 213/67 9SkokleJlllnok (535 Montgomery School 1.962,?04 6/1934 Barrows 213/69Lane. Wynnewood, Pa. 190961 3,011,656 12/1961 Metzger 213/69 [21] Appl.No 751,304 3.220.563 11/1965 Baker.... 213/67 [22] Filed Aug. 8, 19683.400,834 .9/1968 Zanow... 213/69 '[45] Patented Nov. 10.1970 3.414.13512/1968 Levie 213/67 Primary ExaminerDrayton E. Hoffman 54 mun RIGGINGwmr ELONGATED COUPLER YOKE 7 Claims. 8 Drawing Figs.

52 u.s.c|....' 213/67.

. 213/8. 213/69 [51] Int. Cl. 8613 9/00,

I r 2 9/04 ABSTRACT: A draft rigging for a long railroad car including0fSearch..............................,..1......, 67, an elongated yokeconnected at its open end to [he 69 shank of the car coupler andreceiving the draft gear at the l g closed end in spaced relationship tothe coupler shank end. A 156] References Cited tubular filler memberguidably carried between the top and UNITED STATES PATENTS V bottomstraps of the yoke and extending between the end of 1,457,278 5/1923Wright 213/67 the coupler shank and the draft gear so as to transmitbuff 1,499,942 7/1924 Murray 213/67 forces from the coupler shankdirectly to the draft gear.

Patented Nov. 10, 1970 Sheet 1 of 2 Patented New. 10, 1970 Sheet Z of2 1DRAFT income wmr ELONGATED COUPLER YOKE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Theinvention relates to railroad draft gear rigging and more particularlyto an arrangement suitable for use on long freight cars. t

In recent years there has been an increased use of longer railroadfreight cars for special uses in the railroad field. For example, carsof up to 89 feet in length are now in common use for piggy-back service,for hauling automobiles and trucks, for tank cars and for other specialtypes of cars. In addition it is quite possible that even longer carswill be produced and used in the future.

While these new longer length railroad cars have been well received andused by shippers and by the railroads of the country, the use of suchcars has resulted in some operating problems. One-of the mosttroublesome problems arises when these longer cars are used on main linetrack with sharp curvatures. It has been found that in this situationcoupler angularity combined with a high draw barforce produce largelateral pressures on the track rail which, in extreme cases, result insufficient force to overturn rails, cause wheel lift or result in wheelflange climbing of the rail.

Obviously, the effects of large lateral pressures on the rail at trackcurves can be serious with the possibilityof derailment of trains anddamage to cars, lading, and track. In an effort to solve this problemand improve operating conditions, the railroads and manufacturers haveconducted a number of studies and have arrived at some definiteconclusions as to the causes of the lateral forces developed through thecar wheel on the rail in a track curve. These studies indicate thatlateral forces are. determined by the degree of track curvature, drawbar force, length of car, truck center distance and coupler length.

It appears that the best solution to the problem lies in improved cardesign and one possible solution lies in increasing the distance betweencar truck centers in the long car so'as to reducecoupler angularity atthe curved track sections. This particuiarsolution, however, has certainlimitations which restrict its application in the case of the longrailroad car. Even for near of usual width to negotiate the lesserradius curves found in present day track, without overly offsetting itscenter line relative to that of the track, imposes a limitation ofapproximately 7.0 feet on the spacing permitted between the truckcenters for cars in the 85-89 foot range. Thus, any

, length of the cm above this spacing must be provided as overhang atthe ends of the car beyond the trucks. With this limitation in cardesign, one prior approach has been to increase the length of the carcouplers so that the draft gear can be positioned nearer the associatedtruck center to reduce coupler angularity.

In, connection with the use of the longer couplers, studies have shownthat when long cars are operated on sharp curves under highdraw barforces, a car equipped with 43 inch couplers consistently produceshigher flange forces on the track-railt han cars equipped with. recentlydeveloped 60 inch couplers. While the 60 inch coupler does producebetter results, as compared with the shorter couplers, the use of thislonger coupler has presented some disadvantages. Amongthesedisadvantages can be mentioned the extra weight due to 'thelongshank portion of the coupler with the resultant difficultyofmanuallymoving such coupler. when necessary as, forexample, in coupling on acurve. Furthermore, while the cou plerof oO inch length may performsatisfactorily when used in a car of some '85 feet in length, tests andexperience have shown that-this lengthof coupler is not entirelysatisfactoryfor useincars substantially longer than the 85 foot car. Infact, the effectiveie'ngth of the coupler'must be somewhat in the natureof 100 inches if the coupler angularity is to be reduced to a degreepermitting the longest types of cars to operate in coupled conditionovertrack with sharp curvatures.

Obviously, when the coupler is of such length the disadvantagesinherentin the use of the 60 inch coupler are compounded. A coupler of this size'must necessarily have an extremely heavy shank to achieve the desiredcolumnar strength and such increased weight makes it virtuallyimpossible to manually move the coupler.

To circumvent the disadvantages of couplers having a length greater than60 inches, thepresent invention permits transmitted from the butt of thecoupler shank, through the.

draft gear to rear draft lugs on the center sill. However, in thisinvention the elongated yoke has associated with it a tubular member fortransmitting buff forces between the coupler butt and draft gear. Thetubular member is held in longitudinal alignment within the yoke by acrosshead arrangement attached to the member in a manner permittinglongitudinal movement of the tubular member within the yoke.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In general my invention comprises improveddraft rigging for long railroad cars and includes a coupler yoke havingelongated strap portions. While the yoke serves to interconnect e theshank of the car coupler with an associated draft gear, the

arrangement is different due to the fact that the strap portions areappreciably elongated over the length of the yoke straps presently inuse. Thus, in my arrangement the draft gear is positioned at the closedend of the yoke and is spaced some distance from the coupler shank end.In order to avoid the transmission of buff forces from the coupler shankthrough the relatively light weight straps of the yoke, l have provideda filler member that is movably guided within the yoke straps. As thuspositioned the buff forces are transmitted directly from the end of thecoupler shank through the filler member to the draft gear and do notpass through the yoke straps. In

the case of draft forces the yoke straps carry such forces but as thestraps are then in tension, the fact that the straps are of relativelylight weight is not critical.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view, partially incross section, of a railway car sill structure with break lines at theleft end thereof and showing the coupler, elongated yoke, and draft gearposi-. tioned within the sill.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the elongated yoke attached to the couplershank and carrying a filler member.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the filler member.

FIG. 4 is a view taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 2 and showing one end ofthe end casting forming part of the tiller member as guidably positionedwithin the yoke straps.

FIG. 5 is an end view of the plate portion of the end member in thetiller member.

FIG. 6 is an end view of a retainer member to be associated with theplate portion as seen in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is an end view of an end plate for the filler members; FIG. 8 isan end view of a second retainer member which will be associated withthe end plate.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT generally indicated at 19, whichis of conventional construetion and is not shown in detail as theparticular construction of such a cushioning means is not an essentialpart of the invention. This cushioning means 19 is disposed between theyoke end 18 and a front follower 20 having a curved surface 21. Frontdraft lugs 22, 23, and rear stop lugs 24, are provided in the sill 10. Afiller member, to be described in more detail later, is generallyindicated at 26, and is disposed between front follower 20 and the end27 of coupler shank 13.

Referring now to FIG. 3 of the drawings, the filler member 26 is shownas fabricated from an end member, generally indicated at 28, a tubularmember 29, and an end plate 30. It should be noted that the end surface31 of end member 28 is curved to mate with the curved surface 21 onfront follower 20 and that end plate 30 is adapted to bear against end27 of coupler shank 13 when the filler member 26 is received within theyoke 14in a manner to be described later.

The end member 28 is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, and it can be seen that itincludes a nose portion 32 in the general shape ofa block and a plateportion 33 with an outwardly projecting boss 34. The nose portion 32 hasthe curved end surface 31, previously mentioned, and is connected by aweb 35 to the wall portion 36 adjacent the plate portion 33 to reducethe weight ofthe end member 28. As can be seen particularly well in FIG.4, the plate portion 33 has cars 37 and 38 which are designed toposition and guide this end member 28 ofthe filler member 26 along theside edges of the top and bottom straps 39 and 40 of yoke 14. In orderto complete the guide means, a retainer member 41, as seen in FIG. 6, isprovided for use with the plate portion 33 and its use will be describedlater in conjunction with the method of assembling the center filler 26in operative position within the yoke 14.

Turning, now, to FIG. 7, there is shown a front view of the end plate 30and it will be noted that this plate 30 has cars 42 and 43 somewhatsimilar to the cars 37 and 38 on the plate portion 33 of end member 28.Attention is directed to the fact, however, that these cars 42 and 43are beveled so that these portions can guide and position the end plateon the flared surfaces of the upper and lower straps near the open jawsof the yoke 14. One of these surfaces is seen at 44 in FIG. 1 of thedrawings. A retainer member 45 for use with the end plate 30 is shown inFIG. 8 and this retainer member is generally similar to the retainermember 41, previously described. However, this retainer does havebeveled surfaces 46 and 47 which are designed to complement the beveledsurfaces 48 and 49 on the ears 42 and 43 of end plate 30 when the fillermember 26 is guidably received within the yoke 14.

The filler member 26 is assembled as a unit by first slipping one end ofthe tubular member 29 over the boss 34 on end member 28 and securing thetube in position, as for example by welding, to extend outward from theplate portion 33 in a direction opposite to that of the nose portion 32.The opposite end of the tubular member 29 is then welded to the centralportion ofthe end plate 30.

In assembling the filler member 26 within the yoke 14 the filler memberunit is slipped from one side of the yoke into the space between theelongated upper and lower straps 39 and 40. As thus positioned, thecurved end surface 31 on nose portion 32 of end member 28 is in tightbut movable engagement with the curved surface 21 of the front follower20 and the cushioning means 19 urges end plate 30 against the end 27 ofcoupler shank 13. In this position, ears 37 and 38 of plate 33 bearagainst the side edges of the upper and lower elongated straps 39 and40, respectively, and the beveled surfaces 48 and 49 of cars 42 and 43on end plate 30 bear against the side edges of the upper and lowerstraps at the flared portion previously mentioned. In order to provideguide means along the other edge of the straps, the retainer 41 issecured, as by welding, to plate portion 33 in a manner as seen in FIG.4 so that flanges 50 and 51 are directed toward ears 37 and 38. In asimilar manner the retainer member 45 is secured by welding to the endplate 30 with the beveled surfaces 46 and 47 facing the beveled surfaces48 and 49 so as to encompass the flared portion ofthe straps.

It should now be apparent that when the filler member 26 is assembledwithin the yoke I4, the member is free to slide longitudinally back andforth within the yoke member and if a buff force is applied through thecoupler shank 13, this force will be transmitted against the end plate30, through the tubular member 29, the end member 28 and to thecushioning means 19. If the buff force is released, the action of thecushioning means 19 will return the tiller member 26 to that positionshown in FIG. 2 of the drawings. On the other hand, if a draft force isexerted through the shank 13 of the coupler, the force will betransmitted through the key 15 to the yoke and upper and lower straps 39and 40 will be placed in tension urging the cushioning means 19 to theright as viewed in FIG. I of the drawings. As this occurs, the frontfollower 20 will be forced against the front draft lugs 22 and 23 andthe cushioning means 19 will transmit the draft forces to the carunderframe.

If the railway car is passing over a curved portion of track the couplerwill, of course, be swung away from its central position, as seen bydotted lines in FIG. 1, toward an angular position relative to thelongitudinal center line of the sill, as shown by dotted lines. Theamount of swing varies with the degree of curvature in the track and inorder to illustrate the operation of the draft gear arrangement underthese conditions, attention is directed to the left-hand portion of FIG.I of the drawings. The position of the closed end of the yoke 14, thefront follower 20, and the nose portion 32 offiller member 26 is shownin dashed lines to indicate the position of these components when thecoupler is moved off center line toward the upper flared wall ofsill 10as seen in FIG. 1. Only this portion ofthe draft rigging is shown toavoid confusing the figure, but it will be understood that the centerfiller 26 is operatively received in the yoke in the same manner as whenin the center position shown in full lines.

Again assume a buff force is being transmitted through the tiller member26 to the cushioning means 19 as the coupler is in the angular position.Note that the curved end surface 31 of end member 28 is in contact withthe curved surface 21 of front follower 20 but has simply been displacedlaterally as seen in the FIG. The front follower has been moved to theleft under the influence of the buff force and the end 18 of yoke 14 ismoved to the left out of engagement with the cushioning means 19 as thebuff forces are being transmitted through this means to the rear stoplugs 24 and 25. If draft forces are applied to the coupler when in anangular position, as for example that shown in dashed lines, the frontfollower 20 will be urged against the front draft lugs 22 and 23 asshown in the full line position ofthe follower.

While the description of the preferred embodiment has been directed toan arrangement wherein the coupler shank is connected to the yoke bymeans of a key and slot arrangement, any other suitable connection, asfor example a pin arrangement, can be used.

The draft rigging with the elongated yoke provides increased couplerangularity since the pivot point is closer to the truck swivel point.When the coupler is in draft and the car is coupled to another car on acurve, the coupler yoke pivots about the inner end of the cushioningmeans. In the condition where the car is under a buffload the frontfollower may move relative to the cushioning means, and the end of thecoupler yoke, not being in contact with the inner end of the cushioningmeans, is free to swivel. This places the pivot point of the cxtendedcoupler-yoke arrangement between the front follower and the inner end ofthe cushioning means when the car is in buff and coupled to another caron a curve. Some additional angularity is provided for the coupler sinceclearances between the coupler shank and yoke jaws permit lateralcoupler movement as in a conventional arrangement. When coupling cars oncurves, these clearances permit lateral positioning of the coupler foralignment and since the coupler, which can be used with the extendedyoke, is lighter in weight than the 60 inch coupler, the positioning ofthe shorter coupler requires less force for producing lateral movements.

Briefly in summary, it can be stated then that the important advantagesof the extended coupler yoke design for long cars lie in thefact thatthe conventional 43 inch coupler can be used with the extended coupleryoke to achieve increased coupler angularity and the arrangement is suchthat conventional draft gear can be used within the standard draft gearpocket of 24% inches in length.

Iclaim:

1. Draft rigging for a long overhang railway car having a sill with aflared opening extending forwardly of the front draft lugs on said silland adapted to receive the shank of an associatedcoupler for lateralswinging movement therein, said rigging including a yoke with elongatedstrap portions extending from the closed end of the yoke to the open endof the yoke, said yoke being interconnected at said open end to thecoupler shank by means of a key extending through aligned slots in theyoke and coupler shank, a cushioning means confined within the yokebetween the closed end of said yoke and a movable follower member, thecushioning means as thus confined being disposed between said frontdraft gear lugs and reardraft lugs on said sill, a filler memberguidably supported only by the strap portions of the yoke forlongitudinal movement within the elongated straps of said yoke, saidfiller member being in engagement at one end with the end of saidcoupler shank and in engagement at its other end with said follower,said yoke'and associated filler member being laterally swingable withinsaid flared opening and about a pivot point located between said rearand front draft gear lugs.

2. The draft rigging as in claim 1 wherein said filler includes arelatively long tubular member secured between end plate portions, saidend plate portions having integral ear portions and associated retainermembers secured to the plate portions so as to encompass the elongatedstrap portions of the yoke and provide the guide means for said filler.

3. The draft rigging as in claim 2 wherein one of said end plateportions is associated with an extended nose portion having a curved endsurface engaging a complementary surface on said follower whereby saidsurfaces remain in engagement during any angular swing of said couplerand said shank within said sill.

4. The draft rigging as in claim 1 wherein said pivot point is locatedbetween said follower member and the inner end of said cushioning meanswhen the draft rigging is subjected to buff forces.

5. The draft rigging as in claim I wherein said pivot point is at theinner end of said cushioning means when a draft force is applied to saiddraft rigging.

6. A yoke and filler member for interconnecting a coupler shank andcushioning means in a long railway car having an extended overhang ateach end thereof, one end of said yoke being connected to the shank bymeans of a key disposed in aligned openings in the yoke and shank, theopposite end of said yoke encompassing said cushioning means in spacedrelationship to the coupler shank end, said filler member including endportions with a long tubular member secured therebetween, one endportion adapted to contact the coupler shank end and the other beingassociated with the cushioning means said filler member being guidablysupported only by the straps of said yoke. whereby as said filler memberand associated yoke are angularly displaced from the longitudinal centerline of the sill of said car in response to coupler movement, buffforces will be transmitted from the coupler shank to the cushioningmeans by movement of said filler means within and in constant alignmentwith said straps.

7. In a draft rigging for a long overhang railway car, a yokeencompassing a cushioning means at the closed end thereof, elongatedstrap portions of said yoke extending forward an appreciable distancebeyond said cushioning means to be interconnected at their ends to theshank portion of an associated coupler, a filler member guidably movablewithin the elongated strap portions, said filler member beingoperatively disposed between said cushioning means and the end of saidcoupler shank, said yoke and said filler member being laterallyswingable as a unit to follow relatively wide swinging move ments ofsaid coupler within a flared portion at the open end of the car Sill soas to directly transmit buff forces from said coupler through saidfiller member to said cushioning means during any portion of saidswinging movement.

